1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to clamping and jacking apparatus and, more particularly, to a multifunction clamp and jack system having a generally C-shaped main body with an elongate threaded rod having a top end and bottom end configured to receive sockets and drive members of various types of wrenches and selected workpiece engaging attachments, and the bottom end of the main body is configured to receive selected workpiece engaging attachments for clamping, holding, or lifting a wide variety of variously shaped workpieces or objects.
2. Background Art
C-clamps are commonly used in industry to secure a work piece or to secure several work pieces together. A conventional C-clamp typically includes a C-shaped member constructed from cast iron or other hard metal alloy material. One end of the C-shaped member has a threaded hole or collar thereon and a threaded rod threadedly mounted therein and the opposed end of the C-clamp typically has a fixed jaw with a flat surface. The threaded rod has a handle or lever at a top end for rotating the rod and the opposed end the threaded rod has a movable jaw with an opposed flat surface connected to the end of the rod by a ball and socket connection which allows it to rotate and pivot relative to the rod axis. The forward motion of the threaded rod is governed by the thread-by-thread screwing mechanism and is typically slow and time consuming. The workpiece is clamped between the fixed jaw and the movable jaw. This squeezing or clamping action prevents movement of the work piece or prevents movement of several work pieces relative to one another. However, the flat surface of the fixed jaw and the pivoting action and flat surface of the movable jaw makes it very difficult to grip irregular shaped workpieces.
Another common problem with conventional C-clamps is that the operation requires two hands. One hand holds the C-clamp assembly while the other hand manually turns the lever mounted to the outer end of the rod. The lever provides some amount of mechanical advantage and torque for screwing the rod through the threaded hole or collar at the end of the C-clamp to grip the workpiece. However, in some instances, manually turning the lever does not provide the necessary torque required to securely squeeze or clamp the work piece between the flat ends of the fixed and movable jaws.
There are several patents that are directed toward various clamp devices that attempt to overcome one or more of these problems. The following are several examples.
McCarty, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,475 discloses a vise-like C-clamp for gripping variously shaped work pieces in varying positions. The apparatus includes a vise-like C-clamp with adjusting screw wherein two elongated square bars are fixedly attached to one jaw thereof and the clamping end of the adjusting screw whereby a pair of gripping heads may be selected from a group of variously shaped heads and oppositely and interchangeably arranged on each of the bars. The clamp may be hand held or adjustably mounted in a supporting base for gripping and positioning variously shaped work pieces in horizontal, vertical, and angularly held positions while work is performed thereon.
Wong, U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,714, discloses a multi-function clamping system composed of a few interacting and interoperative clamping components. It is based around a J-bar to which other clamping components such as X-axis, Y-axis, extender blocks, L-links, bench rests, joint V-blocks, and V-pad clamping components can be threadedly or slidably assembled into a wide variety of configurations, and may be configured for expansive or compressive clamping.
Chuang, U.S. Pat. No. 9,308,626, discloses a clamp with ratchet device for clamping a target object which includes a clamp body, a thread rod, a clamping member, and a ratchet device. The clamp body has a fixed part and an installation part. The thread rod is movably disposed on the installation part and has a first end and a second end. The clamping member is disposed on the second end of the thread rod. The ratchet device is combined to a first end of the thread rod and operated between an idling position and a driving position. The ratchet device is able to drive the thread rod to rotate and move toward and away from the fixed part at the driving position, and idle against the thread rod at the idling position. Thus, the clamp may be operated in a narrow space.